When did you start getting injured?

[khyber.pass]

So last week I separated my left shoulder (AC joint -- a level 2 with a nice bump) and cracked a right rib. Last year I cracked two left ribs skateboarding but this was the first time ever I've injured myself skiing.... which probably serves me right for signing up for a park & pipe training camp at Whistler. I am becoming too rusty to learn new sh*t -- at least on a part-time basis.

Question being, in 20 years of skiing I never injured myself, and in the past two years I've now had 2 significant bouts of damage. Next year I turn the golden 3-0, which probably puts me young on this board, so fill me in, oldtimers, when did you start breaking things?

And what should I keep in mind to make sure this separated shoulder heals well? I've got full range of motion, but reaching directly out while lying down hurts like a s*o*b*.

[cj001f]

Age 3 - facedive into garden pond
Age 6 - bad backflip off of bunkbed. My first stiches!
Ages 7-12 - lots of scrapes and bruises
Age 15 - broke finger playing goalie
Age 18 - injured leg skiing
Age 25 - first concussion (go me!)
and the list goes on

[Velodog2]

First serious skiing injury this year at age 45. Skiing since early teens. Full ACL tear. I still lie awake at night wondering how and why it happened now. I've also slipped/fell on stairs twice this year. Not a good trend.
Mike

[beaterdit]

7- broke foot, jumping out 2nd story window
11- opened up face, hands, arms, jumping BMX bike
14- fractured skull, jumping BMX bike
19- Broke femur on tree, skiing @ Breckenridge
21- fractured sternum, skiing
24- first ACL, jumping on skis (park)
26- broke back, jumping on skis (cliff)
30- broke a few ribs, falling down cliff on skis
32- second ACL, jumping on skis

Ongoing are numerous concussions, contusions, whiplash, tweaks, abrasions and broken fingers.

Yeah the first thing I tell my Mom in the call from the ER is "I'm OK."

[hway2]

I tore my meniscus (sp?) at 33, and rutptured the achilles this year at 36. This year I am going to work with a trainer before the season. Its admitting defeat to father time a little, but I think it will increase my chances of staying injury free and enjoying the season.

[Elkhound Odin]

age 3 - crushed testicle from tricycle accident
age 4 - bit the the face by German Shepard
age 8 - broken sinus from bike crash
age 15-19 - stress fractures from running
age 26 - left leg cut from rock climbing accident
age 32 - broken collar bone from skiing
age 40 - bunion surgery from too tight ski boots
age 42 - torn ankle tendon from skiing

plenty of scrapes & bruises along the way.
It seems skiing has been kind of detrimental to my health as an adult.

[deliberate]

I think your skiing hobby is over. You should just read about it from the safety of your home from now on.

Or...you can realize that you only live once and it is better to die bruised and battered than in perfect condition.

[seldon]

age 3 - genetic hernia
age 6 - split chin on pool edge falling in
age 7 - first concussion given by cousin with a plastic sword
age 12 - strained left knee in general on skis... 'no damage done' but on crutches for 2 weeks
age 15 - strained MCL crashing mtbike - crutches for 6 weeks
age 16 - chronic shoulder subluxations began
age 17 - pulled groin for the first time
age 18 - stress fractures from xc
age 18 - pulled groin again
age 19 - second hernia caused by rowing
age 19 - pulled hip flexor & sympathetic patella femoral syndrome
age 19 - split eyebrow from kayaking three days ago - 10 stitches

not counting minor sports pulls and strains.

it doesn't seem like a lot, in all honesty. I mean it'd be nice if it was less, but i'd rather live my life as i want to than live my life to avoid injury.

[Shepherd Wong]

I was basically injury free from 14-28. Did my shoulder and ACL in the last two years though. I really don't think it had anything to do with age, just bad luck. I feel less fragile now than I did when I was injury free.

[GoldMember]

7 - Concussion from doing something stupid but don't remember what
13 - First shoulder separation, wrestling team
16 - Broken bone in hand from polestrap in fall.
16 - Second shoulder separation, failed 360 attempt - successful 270
17 - First shoulder separation, other shoulder; another failed 360 attempt
18 - Yet another shoulder separation - wrecked in the bumps
20 - Broken ribs from car wreck after being in the bars under-aged

I then went an incredibly long time with no significant injuries

50 - Meniscus surgery last October.

All in all, I've been pretty lucky with just kind of the normal level of scrapes, bumps, and bruises as an adult. Hopefully the meniscus was an anomoly and I can keep my knees relatively healthy until I'm in a nursing home.

[SnowTigress]

I say once a clutz, always a gimp:
Age 1.5: Broken leg (slipped in bathtub)
Age 7: Broken arm (monkey bars gone wild)
Age 10: Broken Ankle (skis too long)
Age 12: Broken Tail bone (slippery steps)
Age 16: Broken Nose, Ribs, knee lacerations (bad choice of friend as DD)
Age 17: Severely sprained ankle (soccer skills lacking)
Age 22: Sprained back (skiing gates)
Age 23: Sliced forehead (17 stitches after ski accident)
Age 25: full ACL tear (#1), MCL partial tear (skiiing)
Age 28: full ACL tear (#2) (soccer)
It's all worth it though!

[davep]

7- broke foot, jumping out 2nd story window
11- opened up face, hands, arms, jumping BMX bike
14- fractured skull, jumping BMX bike
19- Broke femur on tree, skiing @ Breckenridge
21- fractured sternum, skiing
24- first ACL, jumping on skis (park)
26- broke back, jumping on skis (cliff)
30- broke a few ribs, falling down cliff on skis
32- second ACL, jumping on skis

Ongoing are numerous concussions, contusions, whiplash, tweaks, abrasions and broken fingers.

Yeah the first thing I tell my Mom in the call from the ER is "I'm OK."

You picked a very appropriate name

[telepariah]

7 months - double hernia (genetic)
8 years - split face open jumping my Stingray
10 years - split head open with a windmilling ski (safety strap)
12 years - sliced foot open cliff diving
15 years - hematoma in thigh playing basketball
16 years - first of several broken thumbs trying to make stupid recoveries in bumps
17 years - broken toe horsing around in the locker room
18 years - head stoved in due to car crash
19 years - first knee injury playing flag football
20 years - sprained ankle playing basketball
23 years - concussion from getting hit in the head with the lever arm of a truck jack
23 years - cervical sprain in helicopter crash
23 years - blew acl playing flag football
29 years - broke 17 bones in the left side of my body and lacerated my heart in a 1000 foot ragdoll ski fall off a glacier and over a cliff
32 years - broken clavicle nordic jumping on cross country skis
36 years - tore hamstring playing softball
37 years - broken wrist inline skating down Vail pass
38 years - closed head injury in a car crash
40 years - busted rib tree skiing at the Jane
42 years - busted rib fell on my elbow at A-Basin
46 years - broken wrist early season backcountry
47 years - finally shredded the meniscus on the acl-deficient left knee
47 years - reconstructive knee surgery
49 years - busted rib hit (actually fell on) a tree while standing still at Loveland
50 years - dislocated finger fell trail running

Now that I am 50 it's time to stop getting hurt.

[Ranger_Mike]

Wow, thats a lot of injuries.

Well I can't remember the exact ages like some can but

Broken: Foot, Ribs, Collar Bone, wrist x 2, hand, thumb.

Had a really bad concussion last summer and a mild one this last winter. And too many various other "mild" injuries, aches and pains etc etc

[Stone-Free]

The list-

7- Cracked head open/17 stitches (almost drowned running around pool)
10- Broke both thumbs - Motocross
12- Broken right arm/Dislocated shoulder - Motocross
14- Concussion #1 - Motocross
14- Broken right ankle - Basketball
16- Concussion #2 - Motocross
16- Pinched nerves in neck - Motocross
17- Partial ACL tear left knee - Skiing
19- Broken pinkie/ring finger right hand - Fighting
24- Concussion #3 - GNCC Style Race
31- Broken Nose - Jet Skiing
33- Non Specific Urethritis - Hookers/Blow in Vegas

[Velodog2]

Lol, my mother told me those hookers were dangerous and to stick to football.

I'm really impressed with all your lists of injuries. My acl tear/reconstruction at age 45 was really my first serious musculoskeletal and I have had a lot of anxiety during the recovery about how things were/weren't progressing. Granted I had a number of complications, but it occurs to me that I'm a complete novice at this sort of thing and that if it were to happen again I might be a bit more likely to roll with it better knowing how this recovery process works. Maybe.

[taz]

first injury, trying to go from crawling to walking. just didn't know about drops and that the porch ended.

3 fractured skull ( head first down a climbing frame, thought thats how santa did it)
4 cut botom lip on garbage can
5 fell thru glass door ( chasing sister)
12 broken wrist ( damn pony)
14 torn rotor cuff ( damn horse)
14 fractured verabra ( same damn horse)
14 ribs (same as the horse had and same damn horse)
17 broken ribs (damn cow)
17 broken hand ( crashed motor bike)
18 broken wrist ( damn horse)
19 broken ankle (damn horse)
21 ACL ( fail attemp of a large jump on skis)
23 broken hand ( damn cow)
23 broken thumb (damn cow)
24 ACL ( snowboarding forgot to turn on course)
26 MCL ( snowboarding crash)
26 meniscus (same crash)
26 cracked thumb (same crash)
26 deep cut on thumb ( baskets wouldn't come off poles, got my knife out)

I have now been 5 weeks since my last form of injury

I have

[GoldMember]

Hey Taz, here's a hint: Stay the hell away from farm animals.

[taz]

i learnt that one the hard way. no more farming days for me, but many rag dolling drunken adventure days to come.

[Fritz]

Fuck, some of you guys are worse than Gosey. Had my 1st injury in 28 years this year. Full ACL tear. Wake up call at age 32, but hopefully coming back stronger than ever for next season.

[nick > jesus]

7 months - double hernia (genetic)
8 years - split face open jumping my Stingray
10 years - split head open with a windmilling ski (safety strap)
12 years - sliced foot open cliff diving
15 years - hematoma in thigh playing basketball
16 years - first of several broken thumbs trying to make stupid recoveries in bumps
17 years - broken toe horsing around in the locker room
18 years - head stoved in due to car crash
19 years - first knee injury playing flag football
20 years - sprained ankle playing basketball
23 years - concussion from getting hit in the head with the lever arm of a truck jack
23 years - cervical sprain in helicopter crash
23 years - blew acl playing flag football
29 years - broke 17 bones in the left side of my body and lacerated my heart in a 1000 foot ragdoll ski fall off a glacier and over a cliff
32 years - broken clavicle nordic jumping on cross country skis
36 years - tore hamstring playing softball
37 years - broken wrist inline skating down Vail pass
38 years - closed head injury in a car crash
40 years - busted rib tree skiing at the Jane
42 years - busted rib fell on my elbow at A-Basin
46 years - broken wrist early season backcountry
47 years - finally shredded the meniscus on the acl-deficient left knee
47 years - reconstructive knee surgery
49 years - busted rib hit (actually fell on) a tree while standing still at Loveland
50 years - dislocated finger fell trail running

Now that I am 50 it's time to stop getting hurt.

though we will have to wait fro his post, you may have beaten the gosey. That my friend is an acomplishment

[sea2ski]

I 23 years of skiing I have the following injuries:

3 Shoulder dislocations resulting in torn labriums leading to one open shoulder surgery and one artho shoulder surgery

5 stitches to nose.

Fairly interesting when compared to other sports I have played.

Ice Hockey- 15 stitches to various body parts, mild concussion in 14 years of playing.

Golf- 5 stitches to head. (Hit by older brother's backswing at age five, so my mom stopped allowing my grandfather to teach us golf and I've only played a handful of times since.)

Tennis/table tennis/platform tennis-Never been injured

Slow Pitch Softball- Dislocated sholder and dislocated finger in 4 years of playing.

Baseball-Never been injured.

Surfing- Never been injured.

Water Polo- Never been injured.

Horseshoes(I don't know if I'd consider it a sport but it was one in college intramurals)- Never been injured

Soccer- Never been injured.

Fighting with older brother(Not a sport but it sure seemed like one)- 3 stitches to head.

[mnflyfish]

Age 12 Concussion and 42 stitches in my head, sleding accident
from age 9-14 countless dislocated thumbs from those damn Scott pole grips
19 dislocated shoulder playing basketball continues to pop out from time to time
Age 25 broken pelvis hitting 3 trees skiing
Age 25 same accident 2 broken ribs
Over the years countless broken fingers and more stitches than I can count
Recently pretty healthy, knock on wood, but just cranked my back rock climbing 3 days ago, thankfully the wife had an old perscription of pain meds and a fresh case of Moose Drool so feeling pretty decent

My dad didn't have his first major injury skiing until age 64, dislocated shoulder on Xmas eve, tons of fun in the ER on a holiday.

Jay

[HarmonyGrits]

.5 - broken femur (shoulda listened)
5 - concussion (pool coping)
12 - lacerated back w/stitches (sliding in algae in storm drain)
13 - bruised ribs (football)
13 - big black watery knee (football)
15 - concussion and lacerated face with stitches (darn windshield)
21 - concussion with stitches in head (cycling crash)
27 - broken toe (darn stairs)
28 - sprained hip (skiing)
34 - two broken ankles, broken elbow, broken nose, etc... (shouldn't have saved the cams for the hard part)
39 - dehydration requiring IV (cycling)
41 - broken collarbone and rib (hit by motorcycle while cycling)
All along - bruises, road rash, aches and pains, fish hook sticks

[yentna]

2 - 3rd degree burns to left hand, no fingerprints for a year? 6 months?
3 - broken nose (running on an unfinished wood floor)
8 - 3 broken bones in foot
9 - attacked by a rooster, scar on face still today
10 - broken teeth and stitches in chin (3am in the shower on the 4th of July)
11 - broken nose (brother hit me in the face with a cabbage patch doll)
12 - broken toes (kicked my brother and missed, hitting his chair instead)
17 - car accident. lumbar strain and 2 vertebra compression fractures
18 - huge black eye that scarred my eyebrow (had a 6 year old skull connect with my face)
19 - Severe ankle sprain from a climbing fall (in a boot cast for 6 weeks)
19 - Cracked a rib from bronchitis (coughing)
20 - broken toe
23 - Strained rotator cuff and concussion
24 - skinned (to bone in some spots) in a bike crash on the road
24 - Cracked rib from bronchitis (again)
24 - broken finger (skeleton)
24 - 3rd degree burn on the inside of my lip (skeleton - lip hit the ice for a millisecond, oops)
25 - Cracked rib in a bike race
26 - Separated ribs (skeleton)
26 - broken finger
26 - shin splints and shin stress fracture
26 - rotator cuff (twice)

I do feel like I get injured more easily these days; to put it more accurately, since I hit about 25, it's been harder to recover quickly from my injuries.